Food as Culture
NACC’s Picks for Native Spring 2005
Restaurant
Alma


Excellent New Latino food: ceviche, pork chops, banana dishes




1101 Valencia St.
San Francisco
(415) 401-8959
Rating: Almost excellent
Very loud
Café Lo Cubano
Some of the best coffee in San Francisco plus food


3401 California
San Francisco
415-831-4672
Cafe Marimba

Exciting Mexican food with a twist



2317 Chestnut St. @Scott
San Francisco
(415) 776-1506
Very loud.
Canto do Brasil
Brazilian fried yucca root, codfish croquettes and coconut flan


41 Franklin St.
San Francisco
(415) 626-8727
Cha Cha Cha

Caribbean tapas, packed clubby atmosphere



1801 Haight St.
San Francisco
(415) 386-5758
Very Loud
Charanga

Caribbean tapas: great patatas a la brava, ceviche



2351 Mission St.
San Francisco
(415) 282-1813
Very Loud
Circolo


New Latino with Asian accents: music and a late-night lounge




500 Florida St.
San Francisco
(415) 553-8521
Very Loud
Colibri Mexican Bistro Mexican small plates
438 Geary St.
San Francisco
(415) 440-2737
Destino


Exciting Caribbean, Mexican, and South American food




1815 Market St.
San Francisco
(415) 552-4451
Rating: Almost Excellent.
Too noisy.
El Raigon

Argentinian, excellent steaks and well-prepared sides



510 Union Str.
San Francisco
(415) 291-0927
Very loud
Espetus


Brazilian, excellent meats and papaya crème desert




1686 Market St.
San Francisco
(415) 552-8792
Fresca


This Peruvian neighborhood haunt is as popular as ever




2114 Fillmore St.
San Francisco
(415) 447-2668
La Taqueria

Among the best burritos in the city



2889 Mission St.
San Francisco
(415) 285-7117
Rating: Almost Excellent.
Loud.
Laurel’s Cuban Restaurant Pork stew, steak, and rabbit dishes are the highlights
205 Oak St.
San Francisco
(415) 934-1575
Limon


Excellent Peruvian-inspired food. Good sangria




524 Valencia Street
San Francisco
(415) 252-0918
Rating: Excellent. Very Loud
Los Flamingos
Cuban and Mexican cuisine in Duboce Park


151 Noe @14th
San Francisco
(415) 252-7450
Mangarosa

Brazillian cod cakes, cheese bread, and steak rechaud



1548 Stockton @ Union
San Francisco
(415) 956-3211
Rating: Almost Excellent
Maya


Sophisticated Mexican food in beautifully decorated space




303 Second St.
San Francisco
(415) 543-2928
Almost excellent. Very Loud.
Mijita


Chef Traci Des Jardins’ pride and joy: an organic taqueria




1 Ferry Building
San Francisco
(415) 399-0814
Mi Lindo Yucatan
Regional Yucatan menu at bargain prices, especially good pork


410 Valencia St.
San Francisco
(415) 861-4935
Mom Is Cooking
Wide assortment of good Mexican dishes


1166 Geneva Blvd.
San Francisco
(415) 586-7000
La Luna

Delicious crab cakes, Argentinean parrillada, and flan



3126 24th St.@ Folsom
San Francisco
(415) 282-7110
Panchita’s No. 3
Wonderful papusas, chilaquiles and enchiladas


3115 22nd St.
San Francisco
(415) 821-6660
Pena Pachamama
Peruvian, favorite indigenous hang out in North Beach


1630 Powell Street @Green
San Francisco
(415) 646-0018
Platanos 

Latin-inspired fare served in a cheerful environment



598 Guerrero @ 18th Street
San Francisco
(415) 252-9281
Rating: Almost Excellent
Too loud
Tamal


Tapas from ‘old’ California




1599 Howard @ 12th
San Francisco
(415) 864-2446
Taqueria Can-Cun
Voted best Taqueria by Bay Guardian readers


2288 Mission @ 19th
San Francisco
(415) 864-6773
Tita’s Hale Aina
Hawaiian, poke, kalua pig, barbecue ribs, coconut deserts


3870 17th St.
San Francisco
(415) 626-2477
Zapata


A favorite burrito place in the Castro




18th Street and Collingwood
San Francisco
Zcaveche

Anticuchos, ceviche, lomo saltado, etc.



4769 Mission Street
San Francisco
(415) 584-2882